Inquest into death of pensioner found at the bottom of stairs on the Barfleur

AN INQUEST into the death of a pensioner who was found lying at the bottom of a flight of stairs on the Barfleur Ferry is due to be held on Wednesday, August 27.

Rita Melvin, of West Moors Road, Ferndown, was found unconscious on the Brittany Ferries vessel as it neared the end of its journey from Cherbourg to Poole at around 10.50pm on April 10.

The 70-year-old, who was travelling with her husband, was taken to Poole Hospital where she was later pronounced dead.

When the inquest into her death was opened on April 17, Bournemouth Coroner’s Court heard she died from intracerebral and midbrain haemorrhage due to a blunt trauma. Officials from the coroner’s office took the unusual step of asking witnesses to come forward with any information to try to establish what had happened to the pensioner.